I’m Dying

My family has been touched by the hand of death many times in the past several years. It’s always a tough and uncomfortable time because you have to deal with grief and then a true family shows concern for the ones closest to the departed (hopefully without smothering). The older we get, the more people we will lose. There is no way around it. It’s not up for debate. Another fact related to getting older is that we eventually have to come to terms with our own mortality. Even if we live an extended life and break the world record for being the oldest person, death is coming.

So technically when I say I’m dying, I’m right. I don’t believe anyone has the power to accurately predict the demise of people, but I can say that every passing minute is another number in the countdown for everyone alive…just don’t know what number it started on or what number just ticked off the clock.

So what options do I have? Believe it or not, even with imminent death by unforeseen circumstances hovering, my options still abound in large number. This is the same, or roughly close to the same line of logic that leads people to create bucket lists. I, on the other hand, have decided on a different approach. Since I have accepted my death sentence, I have decided to live. There isn’t a list long enough or all-encompassing enough to contain that.

I’m not talking about eating, breathing, and all that stuff. That’s maintaining and not living. I’m talking about really living. That means I have to tirelessly pursue dreams. I have to risk things. I have to create and execute plans. I have to remember my goals as I wade through business dealings. I have to eat fear and swallow pride in order to make it closer to the realization of those dreams. I have to rebuke the spirits of procrastination, laziness, and dysfunction. I have to be forceful and resolute when assessing my self-worth. I have to make sure that relationships are worthy and rewarding. I have to keep my wits and expand my knowledge base. I have to accept the absolute and make changes to the provisional. I have to protect my earnings and push for bigger returns on my investment. I have to be ready.

I believe that in some ways, most people feel like this. I could be wrong but I doubt it. We all have emotions and feelings. We all have wants and needs. We all have dreams and goals. We all have different approaches to life and happiness, but the truth about it is, we only have a limited amount of time to do anything. I don’t know about you but I know I’m dying…….so I’m living.